Should minors names be published??

[nickg]

when a crime is committed by a minor why SHOULDN'T the perps name be published? i think their name AND the names of the parents should be published. i think it's ridiculous when some 15 year old punk shoots someone but they can't release his name just because he is under 18. show his name AND his picture!!!

i think the name should be released, ESPECIALLY if it is not a serious crime, which COULD possibly be a detriment to further activity. of course with the parents names attached, that could be even MORE of a detriment after dad whips the kids ***!!!

it might not always work out that way, but hey...tough $#it!!!

[Pigskin]

Back a few years ago, the Texas legislature re-worded a section of the Public Information Act dealing with who could give out information regarding juveniles. The words "law enforcement" were already listed but somehow got omitted by the typist & passed on through the signing of the bill. The law went into effect September 1 that year but it was May the following year before anybody noticed the mistake. Several law enforcement agencies questioned the Attorney General's office & their ruling was that, even though it was a typist's error, the law was written that certain agencies & courts were not allowed to release juvenile information but law enforcement was not on the list & could therefore give out the information. They corrected this mistake the following year & added law enforcement back to the list. But in that year & a half we gave out names & addresses of arrested juveniles. We had a couple of angry parents call but that was it. Believe me, if a kid does something like a shooting regardless of whether it is a murder or not, people will talk & the media will find out & they have no problem splashing their yearbook picture & name all over the news.

[klar]

IN some cases I can see where the release of the childs name would be a deterant for further crime by said named child but on the other hand I think that most children undeer the age of 18 should have thier names withheld from the press to protect them and thier families from possible threats and other forms of retribution that at times occur.

I say keep their names Private.

Klar

[sandie]

#1 reason why the minor's name shouldnt be published is this....the child obvisously is looking for attention. Putting their names in the paper will (in the child's eyes) make them famous. In a child's mind, why would it stop them from doing it again and making them even more famous? The kids getting ahold of the paper, and taking to their friends saying "hey look at me." Putting their name in the paper would be a mistake.

#2 why would you put the parents name in? Ya know what Im sick of, people always blaming the parents for everything their kid does. Granted, its their child and they are responsible for them. HOWEVER...not ALLLLL parents are neglectful, irresponsible, stupid parents who let their kids run amuck. SOME parents care, they are always there for their child, they raise their kids with respect and teach them right from wrong. But at times Peer pressure and some other factors contribute to the minor's misbehavior. The parents cannot control their every move or thought a child makes, its impossible.

Ive seen cases where if a kid gets caught, the parents pay the price. Kids will see their parents being punished for something they did, what do THEY (the child) care, it wasnt them being punished directly, so it wont affect them. And for parents who have an out of control kids, it will only add more stress on the parents. What about counceling the parents and discplinging the kids??

At times, it really does stink being a parent.

Maybe, JUST MAYBE, putting the punishment stictly on the CHILD would be a better way of handling juvenile crimes, followed up by a a mentor program of some sort until the age of 18 or perhaps longer. This way, they have someone outside the family they can turn to.

[tcsd1236]

I think the definition of minor needs to be adjusted downward, to 12 or 13. Too many of these teens are as big as you or me. A s far as their capacity to understand right from wrong, they would be mental midgets whether they were 15 or 30, so that shouldn't be an excuse.

Oh, and when they turn adults, their juvenile records should NOT be sealed any longer. Leave them open for the world to see, and for judges down the road to take into consideration when it comes time to consider sentencing for crimes commited as adults. Juvenile courts are nothing more than a training ground where these juveniles learn how to play the system.Lets make these kids accountable.